Taiwan's scenic Alishan Railway resumes service to wide acclaim

TAIPEI -- The Alishan Forest Railway, a colonial-era logging network turned scenic passenger route through the mountains of Taiwan, has been restored to full operation for the first time since 2009.

The route starts in the southwestern city of Chiayi, which flourished as a forestry hub in the early 20th century during Japan's colonial rule. The railway was built to ship high-quality cypress timber wood from the Alishan forest for export to Japan.